Area fishing report

Wednesday

Tip of the week: According to shopkarls.com, when seeking catfish, try out several different types of baits. Chicken livers, cut up shad and bluegill are among those recommended.

1. Yankeetown/Waccasassa: Jim Zaloga of Captains Cove Outfitters writes that snook fishing has been great so far this season. The better areas for Snook are last mile of the river, East Pass, or the end of Bennet's Creek. The "Tommy Lure" a bomber of a certain color has been producing many catches. Also the white Z-Man or DOA jerk shad do well.

2. Crystal River/Homosassa: Capt. William Toney writes that weather conditions can make and break an angler. Control over conditions will never happen because every day it will be heavily different or just different enough from the day before to keep you on your toes to stay on fish. One thing Toney looks at is our tides on the Nature Coast. Wind and moon phase is the deciding factor on how low or high a tide on the Big Bend will rise. If there is an extreme low tide, expect sea trout to move with the tides to outside structure like ridges, flats rock piles and humps. These areas are easy to spot on a sunny day but do your homework and mark or mentally mark these areas during your days fishing. Trout are available on the nearshore rocks hitting 1/8-ounce jigheads with dark colored soft plastics. Other fish that are around the same structure are bluefish, Spanish mackerel, flounder and sea bass. The rocks running north and south of Homosassa Marker No. 4 are good starting points. Incoming tide will be early morning and late evening this weekend.

3. Withlacoochee: No update.

4. Orange Lake/Lochloosa: Anglers have been busy catching specks near the pads of late. Minnows and jigs have been the baits of choice. Others have caught specks while trolling on the edge, close to the cypress trees. Several specks in the 2-pound range have been caught. Some bass also has been caught. Everything will be ideal once the water temperature rises a little bit.

5. Ocklawaha River: Liz at Fat Daddy’s reports that specks are hitting in abundance. Most anglers are trolling, and the specks have started to move towards the pads and will be there once the full moon occurs. Minnows and/or jigs have been the primary baits of choice.

6. Salt Springs: According to Liz at Fat Daddy’s, just like everywhere else, specks have been biting on the St. John’s River. She said anglers have had success using minnows or jigs or a combination of both. Roger Robbins of Buck ‘N Bass SportsCenter reports that Rodman Reservoir has produced some nice bass with a few weighing more than 10 pounds with many topping eight pounds. Wild shiners and green stenko stick baits have been caught in the stumps below the dam using minnows and jigs.

7. Forest Lakes: Liz at Fat Daddy’s reports that specks have been caught recently with frequency. Fishermen have had success trolling, and specks are starting to come in towards the pads. Minnows and/or jigs have been the baits of choice. A few big bass (the largest at 10.4 pounds) also have been caught using shiners. She said this has been the best winter for fishing in the last seven or eight years, in great part because the water levels are high. Fishermen looking for specks often have found themselves hauling in bass, as well. Roger Robbins of Buck ‘N Bass SportsCenter said that bass fishing has been excellent on Lake Kerr, Lake Wildcat and Lake George. Wild shiners have been the baits of choice, but they are in short supply. Plastic worms in watermelon red and junebug have been working, too. The canals off Lake George have been producing nicer bass. Lake Kerr has produced several bass in the 8-pound range and some as big as 10 pounds. Lake Delancy has produced some bigger bass, as well.

8. Lake Weir: Liz at Fat Daddy’s reports that specks have been caught of late with minnows and/or jigs the usual bait of choice.

9. Harris Chain: According to BassOnline.com, bass often can be found here in the open water. The canals have them at times, too. Many catches often weigh in between nine and 11 pounds. Specks also have been found here since the weather cooled the water.

10. Panasoffkee/Tsala: No update.

11. Astor Park: Roger Robbins of Buck ‘N Bass SportsCenter reports that bass have been caught in the St. John’s River below Lake George and down to and including Astor. Wild shiners and Zoom Red Bug Speed worms have been effective. Lake Dexter has produced some nice specks drifting minnows and Jiffy Jigs. Specks have been caught under the Highway 40 bridge in Astor using minnows and Rooster Tails.

12. Ponce Inlet: According to www.floridasightfishing.com, loads of speckled trout, some redfish, as well as tarpon and snook have been caught here of late. Fishing for redfish at Ponce Inlet and around New Smyrna Beach has been good in the main channel, at the jetties, and around bridges and docks for big adult bull reds grouping up for their annual spawn.

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